Mother of dead infant blames stress

Jen Lawson

Friday, Oct. 4, 2002 | 11:01 a.m.

The young Henderson mother of five who is accused of leaving her sick 18-month-old daughter unattended in a bedroom for more than two days told police she had been stressed out and forgot to check on her.

Sierra Tisdale was found dead in the bedroom more than two days later.

Sophia Maria Mendoza, 20, and Demone Antonio Tisdale, 21, her live-in boyfriend who fathered her five children, were arraigned Thursday morning in Henderson Justice Court on one count each of murder and five counts each of abuse and neglect.

When questioned by Henderson detectives Tuesday night, Mendoza said she fed formula to Sierra on Sunday morning and she vomited. Mendoza put her daughter in the bedroom and left her there because she said she wasn't feeling well, according to the arrest affidavit.

Mendoza told police she was "in a stressful situation with the other kids always wanting to be held and demanding her attention, and she forgot about Sierra and thought she was all right and sleeping."

Tisdale seemed intoxicated or on an unknown controlled substance when police interviewed him, the affidavit says. Tisdale said he knew Sierra was in the bedroom, but didn't check on her, he told police.

About 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Tisdale called his mother, Irma McKinney, 47, and told her he and Mendoza needed help. Sierra's twin brother was sick and had thrown up.

When McKinney arrived, she looked at the 18-month-old twin, then asked about Sierra. Tisdale took his mother to the bedroom where his daughter had been since Sunday. They found her lying face-up and motionless on the bed.

McKinney called police, who estimated Sierra had been dead at least 24 hours.

Coroner investigator Shelly Pierce-Stauffer, who also responded to the home, noted that Sierra was filthy and her diaper was overflowing. The area of her body covered by the diaper was covered with sores from the dirty diaper, according to the affidavit.

The coroner's office is investigating the cause of death.

The 18-month-old twin boy and the other three children, 3, 2 and five months, were removed from the home and taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

The twin was admitted in critical condition as a result of severe dehydration and malnutrition, the affidavit says. It appeared his diaper hadn't been changed in days, and he was suffering from sores in the diaper area.

He was upgraded from critical to fair condition Thursday morning.

A doctor told police that the 5-month-old boy may have rickets on his wrist, possibly caused by dehydration and malnutrition, the affidavit says. The infant was treated and released.

The 3-year-old and 2-year-old were checked at the hospital and released.

Police obtained a search warrant and found the single story, three-bedroom house on Wyoming Avenue to be filthy and smelling of urine and rotten food, the affidavit says. The house was littered with cigarette butts, old sandwiches, dirty dishes and piles of laundry. Wire extensions and power cords were on the living room floor.

Two car seats and a vacuum cleaner hose were in a crib in a bedroom. Dirty baby bottles containing liquids were on the floor, according to the affidavit.

McKinney told police that Mendoza and Tisdale sometimes use marijuana, but she didn't know about other drugs. Police have said that drug paraphernalia was found in the house.

If they sought medical attention for their children, the affidavit says, the death might have been avoided.